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Public Comment Sought on Replacement of Sheepshead Creek Bridge

Berlin, MD - The National Park Service (NPS) is considering replacing the Sheepshead Creek Bridge, which is located on Beach Road in Accomack County, Virginia, and provides the only public access to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Tom's Cove recreational beach within Assateague Island National Seashore. The existing bridge is a 78-foot concrete slab bridge constructed in the late 1970's. The bridge exhibits typical signs of concrete deterioration on the underside of the deck, cracks on the top of the deck, and hairline cracks on the concrete bent piles. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has recommended replacement of the bridge, raising the bridge grade two feet to increase freeboard, and reconstruction of approximately 565 feet of Beach Road to accommodate the two-foot rise in bridge grade. The new bridge would improve travel safety and would be more less prone to salt water damage.

An Environmental Assessment will be prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to provide a decision-making framework that 1) analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates issues and impacts to park resources and values, 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts, and 4) provides opportunities for public input and comment.

How to Comment on the Sheepshead Creek Bridge Project

The public is invited to provide input on the proposal for the Replacement of Sheepshead Creek Bridge. Comments received during the scoping period will be used to help define the issues and concerns to be addressed in the environmental assessment.

Comments should be submitted online by visiting https://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis, the website for the NPS's Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) system. Comments also may be sent to the address below no later than July 25, 2011:

Persons submitting comments should be aware that their entire comment - including personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While commentors can ask that their personal identifying information be withheld from public review, the National Park Service cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

For more information on Assateague Island National Seashore, visit www.nps.gov/asis